Letter from Frances Miller Seward to William Henry Seward, April 28, 1861
xml:
Letter from Frances Miller Seward to William Henry Seward, April 28,
1861
transcriber
Transcriber:spp:lbk
student editorTranscriber:spp:ddr
Distributor:Seward Family Digital Archive
Institution:University of Rochester
Repository:Rare Books and Special Collections
Date:1861-04-28
In the context of this project, private URIs with the prefix "psn"
point to person elements in the project's persons.xml authority
file.
In the context of this project, private URIs with the prefix "pla"
point to place elements in the project's places.xml authority file.
In the context of this project, private URIs with the prefix "psn"
point to person elements in the project's staff.xml authority file.
In the context of this project, private URIs with the prefix "psn"
point to person elements in the project's bibl.xml authority file.
verical-align: super; font-size: 12px;
text-decoration: underline;
text-decoration: line-through;
color: red;
Letter from Frances Miller Seward to William Henry Seward, April 28, 1861
action: sent
sender: Frances Seward
Birth: 1805-09-24
Death: 1865-06-21
location: Auburn, NY
receiver: William Seward
Birth: 1801-05-16
Death: 1872-10-10
location: Washington D.C., US
transcription: lbk
revision: jxw 2021-03-05
<>
Page 1
Sunday April 12 28th–
My dearest Henry
We were greatly
rejoiced by your letter of
the 23d a Friday evening
and two letters from Frederick
Birth: 1830-07-08 Death: 1915-04-25
last evening– The anxiety
and suspense I have suffered
has been terrible but I am
now proportionally relieved–
The true, strong, glorious North
is at last fairly roused
and you may rely upon
all you hear about the enthu-
siasm of the people– high &
low rich & poor, (I thank God
we need not add bond & free)
are all enlisted at last in
the cause of human rights–
No concession from the South
now will avail to stem the
torrent – No compromise
will be made with slavery
of black or white– God has
heard the prayer of the oppressed
and a fearful retribution awaits
the oppressor – It is useless to
hope for a peaceable solution
of these difficulties when wives
and mothers send their husbands
and sons to the field to fight
as of old in a Holy Cause –
We can no longer act only on
the defensive without becoming
Slaves ourselves – While it
is fearful to think of the immense
sacrifice of human life which
will ensue if the South continues
unyielding, it is strengthening to
know our cause is just.
and that the sacrifice on our
part is cheerfully made
I hope the city of Baltimore may
be spared but it will not
if the troops are not allowed
to pass through without opposition –
No Government can repress such
a rising of the people – a
passage must be made for the
torrent or it will sweep all
before it –
You must not think I suppose
that all the people at the North
think they are fighting for the
liberty of enslaved Africans
far from it, they think their own
liberty in danger – but I see
the hand of God no less
plainly in the matter, and
no peace can be established which
does not give promise of
liberty to all.
I wish I could be sure that
Washington was entirely safe–
and yet– the South is desparate
and I fear the strife may be
long– How I long to see you
all, how constantly we talk of
you in our home circle–
Mr Sackett
Birth: 1811-11-18 Death: 1895-09-06
came last night
he has gone to take breakfast
with Lazette
Birth: 1803-11-01 Death: 1875-10-03
at Pisgah –